


I'm wishing for the one I love to find me

by Faerie_reader



Category: Little Red Riding Hood (Fairy Tale), Little Red Riding Hood - All Media Types, Mirror Mirror (2012), Red Riding Hood (2006)
Genre: F/M, Minor Violence, Poison, get swallowed?, into the woods made me do it, its a Snow White red riding hood mashup it is confusing, people die, they're still alive tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:54:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23238784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faerie_reader/pseuds/Faerie_reader
Summary: "Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?""My Queen, for eighteen years you have been the fairest woman in the kingdom. But now...the title passes to another. Snow White, your stepdaughter."The queen shakes her head, fear growing in her eyes, "She died years ago! The huntsman killed her when she was thirteen! I have her heart!" She grabs the box from its pedestal and opens it to show the apparition.
Relationships: Huntsman/Snow White
Kudos: 3





	I'm wishing for the one I love to find me

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who watched Red Riding Hood (2006) just to see baby Henry Cavill! Guess who did a lot of math to realize that he was 23 and the girl was 16! Creepy, so here's a better version with adults.

"Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" 

The queen looked deep into the eyeless face before her, daring the face say any name but hers. The face is silent for longer than it should be and the queen grows impatient.

"My Queen, for eighteen years you have been the fairest woman in the kingdom. But now...the title passes to another. Snow White, your stepdaughter." 

The queen shakes her head, fear growing in her eyes, "She died years ago! The huntsman killed her when she was thirteen! I have her heart!" She grabs the box from its pedestal and opens it to show the apparition.

The face merely stares at her before going cloudy. The fog clears to reveal the woman in question: Snow White. Happily trudging up a hill to a lighthouse on a cliff, to meet a girl with a red hood.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" The queen raises the box and throws it to the ground, shards of wood flying everywhere. A feral snarl takes over her picturesque face. "The hunter who was supposed to kill her so long ago has failed. Even as a wretched werewolf he was unable to kill her!?"

The queen screams and rips her books from her bookshelf, throwing them across the room in rage. When the red subsides from her vision she pants heavily on the floor. A book had fallen open during her tryst and lies before her. A smile cuts across her face as she reads the description.

"Very well. I will curse him with insatiable hunger until Snow White is truly gone for good!"

  
Into the woods~~~~~~

  
Snow White maintains her pure demeanor from childhood, but her eyes now carry the weight of her kingdom. After the huntsman had failed to kill her, she had been taken in by a group of dwarves who worked as Robin hood bandits. They taught her swordsmanship and survival in the unforgiving woods. 

Now she escorts the child of the lighthouse keeper into the woods to visit her sick grandmother.

"What's it like? Adults taking you seriously? I wish my parents saw I wasn't a kid anymore..." Red riding Hood prattles on about adolescence while Snow keeps an eye out for danger. Even so, she still has a playful spark.

"I have more responsibilities as an adult. One of them is keeping you safe." Snow laughes, flicking the hood off Red who glares and yanks it back on. 

They're not too far before they come upon the fork where the main road hits the shortcut. Snow looks down both paths before nodding,"We'll take the shortcut."

"Mother said not to!" Red blurts, then slaps a hand dramatically over her mouth. Snow lets out her tinkling laugh and places a reassuring hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. 

"Yes, but you have me." Snow pats the handle of her rapier before heading down the darker, denser road. Red shrugs and follows.

Much too near for comfort~~~~

The werewolf runs through the forest, silently but deadly. The only thoughts in its head are primal commands: hunt, feed, kill. A small dear is unlucky enough to fall in the path of the beast. 

The werewolf barely stops to consume the mangled deer before taking off again. The blood attracts a man on a large white horse. The trail of blood leads into the woods. The horse is urged by its rider to canter into the dark recesses of the forest.

On a bridge over a river~~~

"Oh no. It's the three Ashley's." Red shudders and mimes gagging as Snow frowns at the three girls spitting on innocent passersbys. 

"They don't seem like they'll be much of a problem." Despite Red's protests she squares her shoulders. Snow marches to the bridge as Red trails behind, fervently wishing to be invisible.

"Uh oh! What us THAT? A zombie? LOL! I guess they ran out of flour for your makeup!" The Ashley's high five as Snow steps onto the bridge. She gets to the center before the children block her way.

"Hold on sister! You gotta pay the toll!" Snow looks down her nose at the blonde girl almost the same height as her in roller blades.

"Really? Is this bridge owned by you or by the kingdom?" The children glance with confusion at each other,"Because last I checked, the kingdom owned it, therefore I demand to see your seal from the lord allowing you to collect a toll."

"Ugh! Fine, you don't have to pay! Geez old lady, what crawled up your pants and died?" The bubble gum pink girls move to the side to allow Snow and Red through, grumbling loudly to each other. 

Snow confidently steps past, with Red following closely on her heels, less confidently. 

"Wow. You sure handled them well!" Red's eyes sparkle with admiration as Snow shakes her with a sad expression.

Several minutes later on the bridge ~~~

The werewolf knows he's approaching his prey, smells the fear from Red before the bridge. The Ashley's barely have time to scream before they are swallowed into the black abyss of the wolf's stomach.

Back in the woods~~~ 

"That's the third trap we've almost stepped in! What kind of hunter leaves traps everywhere?" Snow angry resets a tree trap near the area by the road they had stopped for lunch. While her back is turned, Red quickly steals a couple cookies meant for her grandma. The container seems a little more bare than it was when the two set out.

Snow shakes her head before sitting next to Red on the log. With a grin she playfully bumps her shoulder into Red's.

"Sooooo, any cute boys in town?" Red turns the same color as her cloak, staring intently at the leaf covered ground. 

"Um, no. Nope. No one. Boys are kinda gross." She stammers before her face twists into a grimace. Snow laughs at her obvious disgust at the thought of the boys in her town. 

"I'm sure you'll find-" a scream cuts her off, and she jumps to her feet, sword out in a fighting stance. She blindly reaches behind her to shield Red, who clings to her basket in fear. 

In the trap that Snow had just reset hangs a large man in a sheepskin jacket, groaning in confusion.

"Excuse me sir, are you alright?" Snow tentatively asks, watching him writhe upside down. He looks up and gives the two a sheepish smile.

"Well, yes, but all the blood is rushing to my head hehe....think you could get me down?" Snow glances at Red before nodding. Red creeps with Snow as her shield to the ropes holding the trap up. The man falls with a thud as it's undone.

"Thank you kindly. You're both just so sweet..." He advances on the two, and just as Snow raises her sword in preparation his teeth grow larger and sharper, nails growing into claws as he reaches out- 

A bang breaks the tension. The man howls and takes off into the woods. Snow whips around to look at where the noise came from. She squints and grunts as she is forced to look into the setting sun to see their savior.

"Are you alright?" The man asks, musket still aimed at where the man had been. 

"Talk to my attorney Cowboy." Red snaps before she can stop herself. Snow squints and shushes her rude tone.

"Talk to mine. You're on my property." The man seems more amused at the small girl's snarky comment than offended. "Did you untie that trap?" 

"Yeah. You need to be more careful about where you put those traps! You caught that man and almost caught us!" Red moves out from behind Snow to glare up at the hunter, hands on her hips. Snow sighs and sheathes her sword. 

"That wasn't a guy. That was a werewolf." Snow's head shoots up, eyes wide with fear. Her skin turns paler than its usual shade. Red is just as quick as Snow's reaction, causing the hunter to focus on her.

"Yeah right! I bet you made that up!" Snow grabs Red's arm protectively, dragging her back several steps, while shushing her again as the hunter stiffens in his saddle.

"You're just a spoiled little kid. Look down at your Gucci's, angel." Both Red and Snow look down to see paw prints scattered where the man had been. The prints were far too large for any natural animal to have made. 

Dismounting, the hunter advances on the pair as Snow moves to place her hand on her sword. "That werewolf attacked and killed both of my parents." 

Snow can feel Red go lax against her and she glances down in concern. Red is staring with her mouth agape at the hunter. Snow glances back up and sees why.

The hunter is dashing, now that Snow can see him out of the glare of the sun. Soft brown curls frame his suntanned face, his green eyes reflect the sun and make them look like a stained glass window. 

"Thank you for protecting us. We appreciate it." Snow nudges Red who stares transfixed at the man. He walks over to his trap and Snow catches him trying to hide a smile.

"Who are you?" He has given up and is almost laughing as he turns to look back at Red, who turns her respective color and rushes through her introduction, words blurring together as she tries to expose as much of herself as she can.

"Who, me? Everyone calls me Red riding hood. Because I always wear this red hood!" The hunter is smiling in amusement at Red's clear infatuation, and Red is stammering even harder as his dashing smile lights up his face.

Snow watches with fondness and smiles at the young girl in her charge. The hunter seems to notice this and turns his attention to Snow.

"My name is Hunter. You must be her sister." He extends his hand and Snow takes it. Before she can shake it, however, he brings it to his lips and places a soft kiss on the back.

"My name is Snow White." She can't hide that she is charmed by the rugged beauty of the hunter, and doesn't try to hide her gaze as she checks him out. "You are mistaken though. I am not her sister. I am her escort."

"Well I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I didn't escort the escort to the road. Follow me, Snow White." He smiles and slowly drops her hand as if he didn't want to let go. 

Red's face twitches in jealousy and blurts out, "So how do you know that guy?" The trio fall into line on the narrow path; Snow leads, with Red walking her bike behind her and craning her neck to look back at Hunter, who walks his horse.

"I told you. The werewolf killed my parents." He explains to the clueless child that werewolves can change at any time, and can take the image of their last victim. Red drinks it in with rapture. Snow remains quiet as he describes the horrific incident that took his parents.

"I've met this man before. He tried to kill me too." Snow says softly. Hunter is too far away to hear but Red stops short in her tracks, causing the huntsman's horse to snort in alarm at the sudden halt.

"He tried to kill you?" Red is staring in disbelief at her guardian. The beautiful adult she had always idolized had survived a werewolf attack. She now knew why Snow practiced her swordsmanship for so long

"It was a long time ago. He lied to the queen and said I was dead. The queen must have found out that I'm still alive. Red, we have to hurry to your grandmother's, she could be attacked." Snow is barely containing her anxiety, her whole body twitching from the need to run. 

Red takes her hand and squeezes it. "Its ok Snow. The wolf isn't after me. Hunter can walk me to the road. You go on ahead." 

Snow looks torn, and looks up at Hunter for guidance. He sends her a reassuring look. "Don't worry angel, I'll get her to the road safe as me sound." 

"Thank you. You're too kind" Snow whispers before turning and running into the woods. Its several seconds before the two left standing in the forest can no longer hear her footfalls.

At grandma's house~~~

The wolf can smell Red faintly from his position near the house on the cliff. He knows that she's not inside, but the human part of his brain knows she will be. He sits down to wait.

The wolf doesn't have to wait long. He hears Snow White running to the house. He howls to let the queen know of her presence.

The queen appears beside him in a puff of fog, summoned by his howl. She watches Snow White head for the house. 

"Let's pay a visit, shall we?" 

Running through the woods~~~ 

The only thing Snow White feels is panic. She brought this here. The wolf was here because of her, and anyone who died was her fault. 

She skids to a halt, panting and gasping for breath. Thoughts stream through her head; the memory of her mother dying, her father being poisoned by her stepmother, the huntsman trying to kill her once again. The responsibility she had to the town to keep them safe.

Snow sinks to the ground, pants turning into sobs. "I should have let him kill me the first time!" She sobs, barely breathing as the tears continue to flow. 

The tears stop an incalculable time later. All she knows is the moon is higher than it was when she had stopped. Sniffing, Snow gets to her feet and prepares her sword. Setting her jaw, she looks to the house. 

"I'm coming for you huntsman. This ends tonight."

Inside the house~~~

The wolf takes the form of the grandmother, getting into her bed and waiting for Red Riding Hood. The queen puts on her own disguise: an old woman making apple cider. 

The expected knock sounds at the door. "I'll be right there! These old bones aren't as spry as they used to be!" The queen cackles and hurries to the door.

Snow points her sword at her face as soon as it opens. "Where's Red's grandmother." She asks in a polite tone as she herds the old hag inside with her sword and closes the door. She smiles politely but coldly, her eyes icy as she crowds the hag futher in.

"She's sleeping dearie! She is sick you know! I'm her good friend from down the road." The panic in the old woman's voice has Snow lowering her sword sheepishly. 

"I'm terriblely sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." The old woman relaxes and hobbles over to the kitchen to show her the apples as Snow sheathes her sword.

"Would you perhaps like an apple? You did come all this way." Snow takes the offered apple in reconciliation. The peel is too red, too shiny. However, she has also not eaten since lunch, and by now the moon is high, casting shadows in the dark house.

"You're very kind. Thank you." The first bite confirms the apple is perfect: the inside is crunchy and sweet. It's the most delicious apple Snow has ever had. 

The queen watches Snow fall to the ground. She lets out a cackle as the apple rolls across the floor from Snow's limp hand. 

The old woman brings out her dagger- and stops as the door swings open.

Red steps into the dark house. "Grandma? I brought you soup!" Looking around, Red lights a candle and starts up the stairs.

Opening the door to her grandmother's room, she finds several lit candles around the bed. "Grandma?"

The wolf stares at her from his disguise. But something isn't right and Red knows it as she feeds her grandma the soup.

"What big eyes you have grandma..." the light glinting off those eyes is too bright. "And what big ears you have grandma..." the wolf is losing control over his form, beginning to turn in response to his meal creeping away. "WHAT BIG TEETH YOU HAVE!" 

Red screams as the wolf lunges at her. Bolting down the stairs, she aims for the door but the wolf is too fast. He leaps over her head and snarls at the small girl.

Red screams again and runs into the kitchen, desperately opening drawers looking for a knife or anything to hurt the beast with. 

Semi-human laughs spill from the werewolf. "There's no place to run!" He lunges at Red, who barely dodges him. Back to the living room she grabs the sharpest object she can find: steel knitting needles. 

Just in time, the werewolf is upon her! Plunging the needle straight into his chest, Red gasps as the wolf's own momentum impales him further on the needle. 

He howls in agony and falls to the ground at Red's feet. She stares, gasping at her own deed before running out the door. The wolf angrily rips the needle out of his chest and watches it heal up.

Red is almost to the tree house when the wolf gets her. Right in the doorway, the last thing she sees is Snow White in a gold and glass coffin before being swallowed by the wolf. 

His task finished, the wolf stops. The command to kill has left along with the insatiable hunger. Reverting to his human form he falls to his knees. 

"What have I done?" He whispers, bringing his hands to his face. There's no sign of the monster beneath his skin. Skin that glows in the moonlight. His shoulders shake with sobs. 

"End my suffering!" He wails to the moon. The moon who views his deeds with a cold eye, and is both judge and surveyor of them. 

The crack! Of a gun breaks the silent forest. The werewolf stiffens, then falls forward. Hunter lowers his gun and presses his lips together.

The body of the werewolf explodes and people appear everywhere just as the sun peaks over the horizon. The sky lights up in shades of red and orange as the people rejoice in their freedom. 

Embracing his parents, they share a tearful reunion, as friends and neighbors cling to each other in glee. Red hugs her grandmother, and promises to never, ever go into the woods again.

Hunter looks up, hoping to see Snow amongst the crowd of survivors. His smile drops as he looks around, panic slowly settling in. As the people begin to return to their homes, he still sees no sign of Snow White.

"Red, have you seen Snow?" She shakes her head as her grandmother thanks him profusely. Soon it's only Hunter and his family with Red and her Grandma. Still no signs of Snow White. 

"Wait! I just remembered! She's up there!" Red points to the tree house. Hunter rushes to climb to the house. Red starts after him but is stopped by her grandmother. "This is something that only needs two people."

Hunter pauses at the top of the stairs. He imagines Snow White's body with a dagger in her heart. Steeling himself, he opens the door and steps in.

The newly risen sun shines on a coffin of gold and glass, and on the body of Snow White. She has a new, white dress that reflects the sunrise; gold and red lights dancing across the walls. Hunter can only look at her body before falling to his knees.

"I'm sorry Snow White. I'm sorry." He leans over to place a kiss where he wanted to put one since he saw her. A soft kiss on her rose red lips that taste of strawberries. 

He rests on her side, tears quietly tracking down his cheeks. 

"Hunter?" He shoots up the weak sound of his name, gasping as he looks into Snow White's beautiful brown eyes.

"Snow!" He grasps her as she sits up, helping her to sit, embracing her once he can. "I thought I lost you." 

"You can't get rid of me that easily." This time it is Snow White who kisses first. Hunter picks her up during the kiss and stands. 

"What are you doing?" Snow laughs as he carries her bridal style out of the small room. 

"You know, I don't think you can walk. I'd better carry you." He looks smugly at Snow as she smacks his chest while laughing. He thinks her laugh is the most beautiful sound he's ever heard, her smile the most beautiful sight he's ever seen. 

Red squeezes her grandmother's hand in disappointment. Her grandmother looks down at her crestfallen face and croons sadly. "Its alright. I've got ice cream in the freezer." 

Red nods and follows her inside, taking one last look at Hunter as he sets Snow down and introduces her to his parents. 

Snow looks just like a bride, she thinks before she closes the door firmly behind her. 

The sun shines on the fallen figure of an ugly hag; crushed on the rocks below a treehouse attached to a house on a cliff.

Unseen by the crowd, the huntsman had slipped into the woods, curse lifted and now completely free.

~And they all lived happily ever after ~  
~~~~~The End~~~~~


End file.
